Classic cooking lightened up: Chicken Parmesan

Brandy is the author of the food blog, Nutmeg Nanny. In her spare time she enjoys developing recipes, baking and cooking. She is a small town girl who left the corn fields of Ohio for the scenic beauty of the Hudson Valley region of New ...

Italian changeup

It's time to lighten up the classic chicken Parmesan. There is no reason it has to be laden with fat and oil. This dish combines grilled chicken, less cheese and, instead of pasta, we used spaghetti squash.

Happy New Year! Are you full from all those cookies and cakes from the holiday season? Today we are taking it down a notch and making this simple classic dish a little healthier. This chicken Parmesan is grilled instead of breaded and fried, and we decided to use spaghetti squash instead of traditional pasta. It's still flavorful and delicious but perfect for the waistline.

Lightened up chicken Parmesan recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 chicken cutlets

2 cups prepared spaghetti squash

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Lightly salt and pepper the chicken cutlets. Grill cutlets till just done. They are thin so they won't take long to cook.

Top with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Broil in the oven on high for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the dish is warmed through. If you do not have a broiler, you can also bake the dish at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.

Note

Not sure how to prepare spaghetti squash? Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, rub with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake cut side up for 35-40 minutes (depending on size) at 375 degrees F till the squash skin starts to look a little brown on the edges and the flesh "strings" when a fork is run across the top.